


A Voiceless Fairy

by Chrysallion



Category: Inazuma Eleven
Genre: A little angst, A shy Fubuki, But mostly fluff, Cussing, Domestic Fluff, Fairy Fubuki, Fluff, Gen, Home, M/M, Mutual Pining, Socially awkward Gouenji, Somewhat, They need more fics, and Gouenji, because Fudou, because i love them, but shuuya will fix him, don't worry he'll be more confident later, fairyau, goufubu, he's a broken baby], like really really shy, so i'm here to deliver, they live together, they're first name basis here
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:13:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23875252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chrysallion/pseuds/Chrysallion
Summary: In a world where fairies were heralded for their beautiful voices, Gouenji Shuuya found himself taking in a voiceless one.(May change title later)
Relationships: Fubuki Shirou/Gouenji Shuuya, Fudou Akio/Kidou Yuuto
Comments: 7
Kudos: 45





	A Voiceless Fairy

Gouenji Shuuya found himself standing in front of a glass door, staring at the signage that stated "Open" for a few minutes now. He glanced at the store's name: _Happy Friends Pet Shop_ and sighed. This had been the fifth pet shop he visited that day and he wondered if he should just give it up.

If anyone wondered why he was here, the truth is he was looking for a pet—a little companion to "fill the Yuuka-shaped gap in his heart" as his kind friend Endou had stated.

Just a few weeks ago, he moved out of his hometown to study in one of Japan's top universities—Tohoku University in Sendai. While Shuuya was an independent man and was perfectly capable of taking care of himself, he felt that the apartment he stayed in was too big for him.

Having been used to the bubbly presence of his little sister, Yuuka, our platinum haired protagonsit felt that his new place was too quiet and lacked the warmth his home once had. It wasn't that he was lonely. Many of his old friends from his high school soccer club and previous schoolmates were in the same university with him, and some of them were even his classmates in his other classes.

But Endou, Someoka, and most of his friends stayed at Tohoku's dorms while the wealthier ones like Kidou, and despite his denial, Shuuya himself rented their own apartments near the university. His father had been particular about giving him a "perfect environment to study" and that roommates would only be a bad influence and a distraction.

Truth be told, Shuuya wouldn't mind having a roommate. So long as they were clean, quiet, and minded their own business. But perhaps a part of him shared his father's sentiment. Shuuya was, after all, not the most patient man and he wouldn't hesitate to punch some sense into someone if they needed it.

So maybe it was a good idea to give him his own apartment.

But still, it felt a little empty. He thought that maybe he'd learn to get used to it. But on worst days, he felt so homesick that his only joy would be the little conversations he had with Yuuka over the phone before her bedtime. He ended up gloomy for the rest of the week.

Eventually, Endou and Kidou noticed his woes and offered a solution. "Get yourself a pet!" Endou stated as if it was the most obvious answer to his problems. And despite his arguments that pets were too high maintenance, he wouldn't have enough time for them or they would defeat the purpose his father got him an apartment and many other excuses, Shuuya was here, staring at the door.

 _If I don't find one after thi_ s, Gouenji thought begrudgingly as he finally pushed the door open and entered, _then_ _I'm gonna stop_.

He regretted his decision the moment he entered the store. The husky scent of puppies reached him and he resisted the urge to scowl. He didn't mind dogs, they had one at home after all. The puppies barked happily at the sight of him and wagged their cute little tails. Yuuka would definitely love them.

But they were too energetic for his taste and it would be a bother to clean up after their mess. He found them too needy as well and he was afraid that he might end up neglecting them, especially when he's going to be very busy with his studies. He didn't want to waste time training them too.

He wanted a pet with less hassle. Maybe he should get a goldfish. They just stay in their aquarium all day and all he has to do is feed them. Shuuya glanced at the aquariums and immediately thought, _Nah_. He'd probably forget their existence and accidentally leave them to die. He didn't want to be guilty of that so he moved past them.

Next were cats. Maybe the cats were fine. They were less noisy and they clean themselves. However, Shuuya shuddered as a distant memory of getting attacked by a cat flashed by, they hated him for no reason in particular. Every single cat he has encountered wanted to claw him out just because he apparently existed—or atleast that’s how he perceived it.

He could remember those angry red scratches his four-year-old self nursed and low-key feared cats. Not that he would ever admit that though. Especially not to the cat-loving Kazemaru. If his teamates knew that the reason he never visited his friend's house again was that he feared the defender's orange tabby cat, Momo, then Shuuya would never hear the end of it.

 _Maybe I’m not meant for this pet thing_ , Shuuya forlornly thought to himself. _Sorry Ednou, but I don’t think this is gonna work for me._

Slowly losing hope, he turned to the next corner and almost decided he was done. The best pets this pet shop could offer, much like the previous pet shops, were fairies.

You know, those fairytale stories about little humans with beautiful butterfly wings? Exactly those fairies were being sold. They were recently discovered to be real a few years back and many were captured and sold as pets.

Their discovery also disproved a lot of myths about them. For one, they're not really as powerful as the tales tell. They also don't do curses or give gifts. They don't have any particular power. Well, maybe they were capable of becoming human-sized but only to a limited amount of time.

But most of the time, they were simply little humans with butterfly wings. And as soon as they were placed in the market, they quickly became the most popular choices for pets. It was like owning a fairy would make you a cool person or something. People obsessed over them—with their beautiful faces and delicate forms, they were like living dolls. But it wasn’t their patent beauty that made them so popular. Their selling point was their beautiful voices.

Every single one of them had voices like honey and we're undeniably mesmerizing. It became a trend to give them as gifts to children and make them sing lullabies. They were also capable of many things that humans do and are appealing in their tasks.

Of course, there were many that we're against the selling of fairies. With their human-like features, it felt morally wrong for others to have them sold. Shuuya was one of them. It was not a secret that he didn't like it when Kidou bought one. But after seeing him treat the fairy as a friend and not like a pet or object as most people do, Shuuya decided he was okay with it.

However, fairies didn't seem to mind when they were turned pets. In truth, they seemed to love their new roles. Fairies were, after all, very easy prey and they were nearly extinct. They were small and their flashy wings made them stand out and attractive to predators. The reason they increased in number was, ironically, because of human help. Eventually, some fairies even volunteered to be sold, willingly leaving their freedom and submitting to domestic life.

His knowledge about fairies were learned from his biology and history classes. But most of all, he learned them from Kidou. That guy was admirable. He took owning (or adopting, as Shuuya would prefer) a fairy seriously and made a thorough research about them.

His fairy's name was Fudou Akio and Shuuya was not really fond of him after he had teased his eyebrows and hair several times. Along with their beautiful voices, fairies were chatterboxes—he had a prejudice that fairies were vain creatures that liked to hear their own voices, but that’s just Shuuya being bitter. They love to gossip and never ran out of words to tell. Most people found that really endearing but it was just annoying to Shuuya.

Passing by the fairy section, he noticed that the fairies talked louder and tried to get his attention. One blonde-haired fairy winked at him and another red-winged blew a kiss. Several giggles were heard and Shuuya sighed. It was no secret that fairies were either flirty, jovial and outgoing. They were social creatures after all—a contrast to the introverted Shuuya. There was no such thing as a shy or quiet fairy. If there was one, the platinum haired man would take them in a heartbeat.

Fairies were, in his eyes, ideal “pets”—friends, he preferred to call them though. They were smart, they were reliable and they understand human language. In fact, many fairies were taught to do human jobs. Like in department stores where fairies were trained to assist sales ladies to advertise. Or in restaurants where they give little performances and help serve the little dishes. Even in the police department and military bases, some were trained in combat or taught to spy.

All in all, fairies have perfectly fitted into society. Shuuya wasn’t fond of them but he didn't hate them. He just didn't like the concept of them a lot. They loved talking and owning a fairy means having many of those. The only people Shuuya was comfortable to talk with were his old soccer teammates and even in there, he had few words to say.

"See anything you like?" A man in a black uniform with a blue apron asked him. There was a paw logo on his apron and Shuuya assumed that this was the shop keeper, "Fairies these days are really popular. I can give you some good deals. Do you have any preferences?"

"Ah, no." Shuuya shook his head. "I'm not particularly fond of fairies."

The shop keeper blinked, seemingly surprised before he laughed light-heartedly. "That's a first, " the man said, "most people like fairies. They're pretty, very sociable, and self-sufficient. Not to mention their voices.”

"Well, yes. They're very ideal for" Shuuya paused, hesitating in the use of the word, "pets. Smart and very much like a human. However, " he smiled exasperatedly, "I'm not particularly fond of talkative or loud pets. I'm only looking for a quiet companion. Also, one that’s hopefully low maintenance and can be left alone without causing a problem.”

"Ah, I see." The shop keeper then turned to the rodent section and asked, "How about hamsters?"

"I'll take a look," Shuuya stated, considering the man's suggestion.

"Alright." The shop keeper nodded, "Let me know if you find one that you like." 

Shuuya nodded. He took one last glance at the fairy section and noticed for the first time the little cage at the corner, isolated from the rest. It had a huge 50% on sale signage plastered on the cage and he can't help but wonder why the small one inside wasn't purchased yet. There was a little fairy huddled in there, his translucent wings low and folded.

The little fairy's face was buried in his own arms but he had grey hair and Shuuya contemplated if it was an old one that never got bought. That would be strange since fairies we're often sold out. He was about to look away when he noticed that the little one was shaking.

 _Maybe he's cold from the air conditio_ n, Shuuya rationalized. It was a little cold after all and he was isolated in a separate cage at a corner, making him unable to huddle for warmth like the other fairies.

"Excuse me, " he called to the shop owner who entertained him with a soft smile. He then pointed to the lonely fairy, "I think he's cold. Maybe you should lower the air condition or give him a blanket at least."

"Oh, " the shop keeper turned at the pointed direction and then shook his head, "don't worry. He's not cold, just scared."

"Scared?" Shuuya asked, confused. Was the little one scared of him or did the other fairies gang up on him? "How come?"

"He's afraid of loud noises and, " the shop keeper turned to the barking puppies and patted them on the head to keep them quiet "These little ones got a little excited seeing you and couldn't keep quiet. It probably scared poor little Shirou."

"Shirou?" The platinum-haired boy repeated, surprised, and curious about the strange fairy that hated noises, "Is that his name?"

"Yup." The shop keeper nodded, a sad look on his face, "He's been here for years already and I want him to find a permanent home soon."

"Oh, then that's probably why he's on sale," Shuuya stated, feeling bad for the old guy. "He's not getting any younger after all."

"Oh, he's actually very young." The shop keeper said, surprising the college student, "In human age, he's probably as old as you. Or maybe younger, I'm not sure. He's quite small for an average fairy. But he's still young."

"But his hair is grey?" Shuuya voiced his observation in a questioning tone.

"That's because he's from Hokkaido." The shop keeper laughed when the platinum-haired boy's eyes widened in disbelief, "That's right. He's a rare one. A winter fairy."

There were different kinds of fairies and they were labeled according to the seasons they were born on. Most common were the spring fairies followed by the autumn, summer, and then winter. Winter fairies were rare because most of them don’t survive in low temperatures. They were also a stark contrast to the other three kinds. Spring, Autumn and Summer fairies adorned vibrant and warm colors but Winter fairies often had cool tones and in rare cases, translucent ones like Shirou’s.

"Then isn't he supposed to be expensive?" Shuuya asked, gesturing to the 50% on sale tag on his cage, " Only celebrities and high classed people owned winter fairies. He should already be bought right now."

"That's what I thought too." The shop keeper said as he started reaching out between the gap of the cage and patted the little fairy with his index finger, causing him to relax. "He was actually sold to us a few years back at a surprisingly low price. We didn't mind at first but then it turned out that he had a defect."

"A defect?" Shuuya asked, curious and at the same time, a little concerned for the little guy's health.

"He can't sing." The shop owner said, watching as the little fairy tensed at those words, his little glass-like wings spreading—Shuuya immediately mesmerized at the delicate beauty of the snowflake details on them— and then used them to cover himself. Not that it covered much with its translucence. "Aside from their beauty, fairies' selling point is their beautiful voices, right? It's not just about Shirou not having the skill to sing, but he really can't speak at all. He's a voiceless fairy."

Shuuya was speechless at that discovery, feeling his heart crush at those words. He looked at the little fairy and watched as Shirou wrapped his wings around himself like a blanket and tried to make himself seem smaller.

"He's been through a lot. We thought that people would overlook his defect just because he’s a rare winter fairy but he's been bought and returned twice already." The shop keeper said, a look of regret on his face, "That was a mistake on my part. Fairies get attached quickly and are extremely loyal. This little guy's heart has been broken several times already."

A sigh. "That's why I want to find him a new home. One that is permanent." The shop keeper smiled at Shuuya, "one that is willing to accept him as he is. I mean surely there's someone willing to overlook his voiceless state. Shirou is really cute after all."

Shuuya watched in mild amusement as the little fairy's grey ahoge twitched and he braved himself to look up. His face took Shuuya’s breath away—true to the man's words, Shirou was beautiful.

He had grey-green eyes that looked sad but gentle. He a fair skin except for the soft blush on his cheeks, probably from the compliment before he glanced at Shuuya, with wide eyes, and quickly hid his face again.

How could someone abandon him like that? Shuuya's fists clenched at the thought, having the slight urge to find those people and tell them they made a mistake. So what if Shirou was voiceless? Were people really heartless like that? To buy someone and return them like they were things? Shuuya had always hated the notion of selling fairies and he hated it even more now.

"How much is he?" He asked the shop keeper who looked at him with surprise.” I’ll take him."

“But I thought you weren’t fond of fairies?” The confusion in the shop keeper’s face was apparent. “And didn’t you remember what I said? Shirou is voiceless. I don’t want to break the little guy’s heart by selling him to you—no offense—only for you to return him again.”

“I won’t.” Shuuya told him. “It’s true that I’m not fond of fairies but it’s because I don’t like the notion of selling them. Besides, I also said that I like quiet companions.” He glanced at Shirou’s way, smiling at the awed expression on the little one’s face. “A voiceless fairy is not a problem for me, in fact I would prefer them.”

“Well then,”The shopkeeper was almost bouncing on his feet, surprise and joy evident on his face as he said "Actually, I was going to remove the sale and make him free for adoption! You don't have to—"

"No, I'll still pay the intended price. I’m not really fond of fairy selling but I’ll still pay for all the time and effort you spent in taking care of him." Shuuya smiled, not breaking his gaze at Shirou who was still endearingly staring at him with wide eyes. The little one looked like he couldn't believe what he was hearing and it crushed Shuuya’s heart to think that Shirou probably gave up on the thought that someone would take him. "I’d also like to purchase the things necessary for him. Like fairy necessities."

The shop keeper blinked, overjoyed, "You don't need to worry a lot. Shirou already has his own clothes and personal stuff. Giving him a bed and mini furniture is an option but he can just settle for old pillows. Fairies also eat the same food as humans so long as you cut it to a smaller size."

"I see, " Shuuya finally turning to the smiling shop keeper, feeling more accomplished that not only was he—hopefully— making Shirou happy but his shop keeper as well.

"And you don't really need to worry about Shirou. Among the fairies here, he's the tidiest—I didn't need to clean his cage as often as I need to do so with others. He's not picky with the food and aside from loud noises, he doesn't complain a lot." The shop keeper stated excitedly before he crouched down to open a dazed Shirou's cage and excitedly told him, "Go get your stuff on the shelves, Shirou. You have a new home now."

As soon as he was instructed, Shirou spread his wings, translucent but it had snowflake details on it and a faded blue tint at the corners before he flew quickly but gracefully. He disappeared behind the curtains where Shuuya assumed the mentioned shelves were.

"He's very happy." The shop keeper told Shuuya before he bowed gratefully, " thank you for deciding to take in Shirou."

"It's not a problem." Shuuya replied, feeling satisfied himself.

"I can't explain how glad I am. After realizing the mistake of not telling his previous owners about his defect, we orient his potential buyers about him and they always say no and never look at him again. It was heartbreaking to watch Shirou get rejected over and over." The shop keeper sighed in relief, "today, he was probably bracing for your rejection but you have no idea how much it was a happy surprise for him when you said you'll take him even after knowing. You're the first to do so."

Shuuya just smiled at those words, silently glad at his decision to continue finding a pet. He'd have to thank Endou later for his suggestion. Maybe he can introduce Shirou to Fudou if the latter's loudness won't scare away his little one. At the thought of Fudou, Shuuya remembered to ask a certain question, "What clan is Shirou from?"

The shop keeper froze at his question, his smile dropped in an instant. Even within the fairy race, there were clans. They worked like the surnames of humans. Basically, a label of which family they belong to. There were clans that were extremely expensive for their inherent traits and there were also some clans that don't sell much because of some undesirable genes.

The Fudou clan—Kidou's fairy's clan— were all known for their mohawk hairstyles, elf-like ears, and sharp tongues. While it was a turn off for others, there were also some that liked feisty fairies. Kidou, unexpectedly, was one of them. It was also a plus that Fudou fairies were notably strong types and noble fairies.

Noble fairies were very expensive. All fairies have adapted the ability to turn human sized, but the duration of their enlargement depended on their genes. The least had been one hour while some could turn human-sized for about three hours or more depending on the time of the day.

Noble clans, however, don’t need to worry about schedules. They can turn maintain human size for at the least as long as two hours consistently in any time of the day. They could also manage for over eight hours if they were strong enough. Which was another factor that made Fudou Akio more annoying to Gouenji. That guy was annoying in his regular size, but he was louder in a larger size. And the guy can maintain a good three hours.

Knowing your fairy's clan is important because also meant knowing their common clan traits and weaknesses. That knowledge helps in getting to know how to deal with your own fairy, if they have any particular inherent traits—like how long they can maintain in human-size or if they were more likely to enlarge at days than nights or at any time they want. It's also one of the most normal questions to ask when buying or adopting a fairy but based on the shop keeper's reaction, that seems to be not the case with Shirou.

"Is there something wrong with Shirou's clan?" Shirou’s couldn't help but ask. A little worried because there were also fairies that were more delicate than others or had a lethal feature in them--like the poisonous fairies that were taken off the market and never heard of again.

"No, there's nothing wrong at all." The shop keeper said and scratched his head, "it's just that. His clan is a sensitive topic for him. In fact, many of our customers thought we were scamming. You see, Shirou is a Fubuki."

"Fubuki?" Shuuya blinked in surprise, "a noble clan?"

"Yeah, or at least that's what his seller told us. Now we're not so sure." The shop keeper said, "His second owner overlooked his voiceless state and bought him simply for that fact. But Shirou never changed size even just for an hour. So he was returned to us."

Shuuya was about to inquire about Shirou’s recently mentioned defect but the said fairy returned at that exact moment, bringing a fairy luggage the size of Gouenji's hand. When the platinum blonde offered to carry them, the little fairy shyly shook his head. He looked flustered, his eyes trained to the floor. His cheeks and all the way to the tip of his ears were red. It was an endearing to look at.

But most of all, his fluttering ahoge was the most adorable sight. 

Throwing all his previous worries aside, Shuuya’s decision to take Shirou resolved. He signed a few papers for his purchase and soon took his new companion and bought him necessary items. The little fairy booped his forehead against the shop keeper’s nose (a gesture of thank you or good bye, Shuuya didn’t know) before they finally left the shop.

The took the bus back to Shuuya’s apartment and Shirou had been obviously quiet the whole way. He had adamantly carried his luggage and followed Shuuya without a problem. Shuuya initially walked in a slower pace but when he noticed that Shirou was alright, he picked up his pace. The winter fairy didn’t complain and easily caught up with his pace.

They ordered a ramen takeout on their way home. Shirou was a little shy and when Shuuya asked him if he wanted anything, he shook his head so hard the platinum haired was worried he’d break his neck or something. As soon as the order was done, they went on their way to his apartment.

The elevator ride was when Shuuya decided to pick up a conversation with him, seeing that they were the only ones inside. Shirou still maintained a little distance but he wasn’t as tensed as he was when they left the shop anymore. He flinched when the elevator dinged but other than that, he was still quiet and reserved.

"Hey, " the platinum blonde had told him with a small smile, offering his index finger out to the little fairy, "I'm Gouenji Shuuya, nice to meet you."

The little fairy stared at his finger as if he was expecting some jump scare before he glanced up at Shuuya’s face, a skeptical look on his face. He tilted his head to the side, as if contemplating before he visibly calmed down, seemingly seeing something in Shuuya that he liked. Eventually he reached one hand to touch the platinum haired's finger and they did a little "hand" shake.

After that little interaction, Shirou pulled his hand away as his face turned to a shade of a tomato. He used his free hand to fan his face and Shuuya had to stifle a laugh at the shy little fairy. “Don’t you want me hold your luggage for you?” The human gestured to the load the fairy carried in one hand, “That looks heavy.”

Shirou shook his head, waving his free hand in dismissal. He then gave Shuuya a thumbs up with his little hand and then flexed the same free arm to convey that he was strong, a tough look on his face before he broke it off with a little smile. To say that Shirou is adorable would be an understatement. The fairy was absolutely endearing and Shuuya quickly came to love his company.

Shirou was perfect for him. Shuuya wanted a quiet companion, Shirou was voiceless and hated noise. Shuuya wanted one that was less a hassle, fairies were self-sufficient and smart. Shuuya wanted a friend and Shirou looked like he needed one. Shuuya wanted to take his place feel more like a home and he wanted Shirou to have one as well.

A small smile graced Shirou's face and was soon mirrored by Shuuya. The loneliness in his heart started to ease away. Perhaps now, his apartment won’t be as lonely and empty as it was before. For the umpteenth time that day, Shuuya was happy that he took Endou’s advice.

Today, he found himself a new friend.


End file.
